An Afghan police officer passes by a shattered wall of the building which was occupied by Taliban militants during the insurgent attack in Kabul on Wednesday. (AP)

American poverty numbers reported soaring this week, and House Speaker John Boehner says it’s like he and the president are from “different planets” when it comes to a fix. Great. Fiscal politics are on again, with the economy in the balance.

President Obama saying pass this jobs bill. Speaker Boehner saying no new taxes. We’ve got Europe on the brink, Anthony Wiener’s seat going to the GOP, uproar over Solyndra and Michele Bachmann on the HPV vaccine. Jackie Kennedy back on tape. And the amazing Dakota Meyer.

Guests:

From Tom's Reading List

The New York Times "President Obama anticipated Republican resistance to his jobs program, but he is now meeting increasing pushback from his own party. Many Congressional Democrats, smarting from the fallout over the 2009 stimulus bill, say there is little chance they will be able to support the bill as a single entity, citing an array of elements they cannot abide."

Politico "Taken together, few issues resonate as much with the conservative base at the moment as culture, cronyism, American identity and fiscal purity. And Perry was forced on the defensive over each of them in Tampa."

Associated Press "Washington wants to degrade the insurgency in Afghanistan before handing over security responsibilities to Afghan forces and pulling out. Pakistan's reluctance to attack the Haqqani group, which U.S. officials say has safe havens in Pakistan and is behind much of the violence in Afghanistan, is a major source of tension."